Out there in the dark: intermission feature

La Cieca insists you, the cher public, observe the “no whispering” rule during the performance, but, come intermission time, you are encouraged to chatter on and on about anything and nothing this week of November 27.

Not much left at the end…but so what??This lady,born Dec.2, 1923….made opera what it SHOULD be….Yes,we know of her flaws..but the greatest in the woman was something that will remain forever in our hearts.

zinka

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh9KzB98bd

In his later years, I became friendly with dear Frank Guarrera, born Dec.3, 1923. He had so many wonderful stories…..including playing cards with Baccaloni and De Paolis, who played cards with Caruso..and keeping the lip imprints of all the Butterfly sopranos with whom he sang as Sharpless (They kiss the letter in act 2 ). He knew the basic voice was not a Merrill or a Warren, but the man was a fabulous artist and a beloved human being.

Buster

A great Octavian on another great Octavian:

I have been listening a lot to the Fritz Reiner Rosenkavalier with Risë Stevens, Eleanor Steber, and Erna Berger from 1949 -- just stunning! Steber incredibly sympathetic too. Who would have guessed this was Steber’s debut as the Marschallin?

Nerva Nelli

“Steber incredibly sympathetic too. Who would have guessed this was Steber’s debut as the Marschallin?”

……………

“Certainly not us boys from the “bird” circuit who saw our great pal have a screaming lovers’ quarrel with Ethel Waters the night before and fall dead drunk on her (too padded) backside down the Blue Parrot’s front stairs. My stars, I don’t know HOW such an undiscplined, boozy mess as she was ever made it through that “Silberne Ros’n”! There’s an internationally known retired Annina here in Santa Fe that swears up and down that Eleanor consumed a whole bottle of Johhnie Walker whilst they made her up for Act Three!”

I have no idea what this opera is about, yet, as I did not heed the advice of the Opera Cake to read the synopsis beforehand. However, it is so beautiful to look at and listen to that I cannot take my eyes off of it.

Tcherniakov is obviously making a point about how you should not stage this opera. I just realized that one of my past secret husbands, Charles Workman is in it. Lovely!

oedipe

Tcherniakov’s staging is also about MUCH more than how not to stage this opera. Welcome to the world of non-Germanic and non-British regie! It exists, trust me!

oedipe

Tcherniakov’s staging is also about MUCH MUCH more than how not to stage this opera. Welcome to the world of non-Germanic and non-British regie! It exists, trust me!

oedipe

Oops, sorry about the double.

aulus agerius

Charles Workman is a favorite of mine too. I think he has an unusual vocal production and a very interesting sound -- maybe it’s like a ‘straight’ tone or like he produces it off the top of his head….. lame attempts to describe something very subjective!
There is a young tenor in the recent Ciro in Babilonia from Paris that sounds a lot like him around the middle of the voice, except that he thins out on top and has an uneven bottom.